Replacing 3.2 Timing Chain Cover Gaskets, Chain & Various O-Rings.
Issue: Oil leak coming from Outer/Inner Timing Chain gasket. I decided to refresh everything in this area since I was already in there.
I'm not going to detail how to remove the accessory drive belt, accessory tensioner, accessory idler, AC Compressor, PS Pump, water pump, water pump coupler, or decoupler pulley. All of these have been detailed in other threads.
REMOVAL
To start, you need to do the following:
1) Disconnect power from battery (-)
2) Drain Coolant
3) Remove air cleaner assembly
4) Remove air charge pipe
5) Disconnect positive terminal in engine bay to fuse relay box
6) Remove vacuum pump
7) Release accessory tensioner tension and put 3mm rod into tensioner to keep it loose
8) Remove PS Pump from water pump coupler
9) Remove Water Pump
10) Remove accessory Idler
11) Move AC Compressor to side and remove AC auxillary bracket.
12) Remove coolant pipe that goes around outer timing case. Just give it a nice pull, or use a piece of wood to pry it out. It is held into the timing chain cover by an O-Ring. You should replace this O-ring
13) Remove decoupler pulley (you need a special tool for this. It's a 33 tooth counterhold that goes into the pulley, and a T50 torx that goes in the middle to access the bolt.
Now starts relevant information. You can do these next steps in any order, but I did them the following way.
14) Lock the crankshaft
NOTE: The genuine Volvo special tool has an offset center to match the offset insert hole on the crankshaft. The aftermarket tool does not have this offset extrusion. It's not a big deal because you know the crank will have to be turned 180° if you can't insert your camshaft tool.
To insert the tool, you need to pry off the cover. Just put a hole in the middle and pry it out. Then, you can put the tool on. The tool has a pin held by a spring. It'll only go into the hole when it can. Just rotate the crank by hand using your 1/2" ratchet in the special tool, and it'll pop in.
15) Lock cams
To insert the cam locking tool, you need to remove the coolant reservoir. Just pull it up and move it to the side. Then, you need to remove the engine's upper torque arm and cover. Next, pop a hole in the middle of each cap on each camshaft, and pry it off. Then, insert the tool. It should slide right in with no issues if your crank is locked properly. Do not force the cam locking tool on! It has offset grooves that should drop in. Once the tool is seated in the slots, thread each bolt in. The exhaust cam bolt is tight, but it will fit. You may need to jack the engine up a tad, and it helps the place the bolt into the tool while putting it into the exhaust cam. Tighten up both bolts and then tighten the center bolt between the two camshafts on the tool.
Now the engine is locked and you don't have to worry about messing up timing! Don't touch it.
16) Remove Outer Cover
There are 20 torx T40 bolts, and two 10mm head bolts to remove. The numbers on the bolts are only relevant for installation. The order doesn't matter for removal. I removed all torx bolts first, then removed the two hex bolts. You'll hear cracking as you do this. Don't panic, it's just the metal gasket expanding. Pull the cover off, it should slide right off the READ shaft. At this time, it's good to remove the oil seal that goes around the READ shaft that is now such inside the timing cover. Knock that out - you'll be replacing it with a new one.
17) Lock Tensioner
First, insert a small flat head into the tensioner lock plate and pry it up. This will unlock it so you can move the tensioner down to relieve tension on the chain. Then, you need to push down on the lower chain guide bar. This will force oil out of the tensioner. Once it is at the bottom, insert a 3mm rod into the small locking hole.
18) Remove intake and exhaust cam pulleys
First, make sure you know which pulley goes where. It's pretty obvious, but if you mix it up, the intake has a slot for the vacuum pump. Then, you need to position the special counterhold tools. They are keyed and only fit on their respective hub. Just insert them and move their orientation around until you can place the nut over the threaded bolt that connects both tools. Then, tighten down the bolt to lock them in.
Now, insert your long T60 torx bit into the hub of your choice. Make sure your counterhold is fully on the pulleys and is locked. At this time, use a long breaker bar to gently loosen each cam bolt. They aren't torqued that much, so they should come right off. Once the bolts are off, throw them out. At the very least replace the exhaust bolt. It's TTY, and is it really worth chancing all this on a $2 bolt?
19) Remove Chain
Slowly move the hubs off and now you can remove the chain. Just pull it off and maneuver it off. It may get hung up on the READ shaft gear, but use a plastic stick to help move the chain to get off it.
20) Remove Chain Tensioner
It's held on by two bolts, just remove those and it'll pop off.
21) Remove Chain Guides
Two of the three are keyed with hidden plastic ridges. Carefully pry up each corner of the top two guides. Then, it'll slide off the cover. To remove the larger bottom one, flip the cover over. There is a roll pin with a small snap ring on it. Remove the snap ring, and it'll slide off. Then the guide can be removed.
22) Remove Intermediate Timing Cover Gasket
Remove the bolt for the oil slinger, and the other bolt. Then it can be removed and replaced.
23) Loosen Coolant Pipe on Back of Engine
There are two studs on each side of the rear of the engine that hold down the coolant pipe that goes there. Remove these two bolts, and then remove the 10mm head hex bolt that connects the coolant pipe to the inner timing cover. The pipe needs to be popped out of the cover.
24) Remove Inner Cover
Surprisingly, the inner cover is only held on by 2 T40 bolts. Remove those, and it should come off. If it doesn't, grab a dead blow hammer and gently tap it off near the READ shaft. It should start to break it's seal. Once it starts to come off, take a plastic trim tool or that, and help release it all off. Then, slowly wiggle it off. If it is stuck, it is stuck on an O-Ring that connects the water pump pipe to the engine. Just keep rocking it back and forth, and it should come off fully.
25) Remove Inner Cover Gasket
This gasket may leave a residue on the engine because it has rubber channels on it. Scrap it all off carefully with a razor blade if so.
26) Remove All Gaskets and O-rings
Now is a good time to replace all of these. There is a gasket on the READ shaft to replace, as well as a gasket on the inner cover below where the READ shaft goes. Then, replace the water pump pipe O-Ring that is probably stuck to the inner timing cover. Replace the O-Ring on the coolant pipe that goes into the inner timing cover behind the engine.
27) Clean Area
Get the area all clean and looking new to get it ready to be reinstalled.
INSTALLATION
Time to put it back together! Installation post is on its way. Stay tuned. I had a part ordering complication and am awaiting new ones. The process is this in reverse, but there are a few special tools involved.